As the ALW finals and World Cup loom, the APL is failing women's football

Since taking the reins of the Professional Leagues in Australia (the A-League Men, A-League Women, A-League Youth, and E-League), the Australian Professional Leagues (APL) laid initial game-changing foundations to equalise women’s football.

Yet, as time trickled on and the APL powerbrokers were pressed with difficult choices, namely the controversial Sydney grand final decision and the renegotiated broadcast deal last September, the adverse impacts these would have on the women’s game were seemingly disregarded.

This is arguably reflective of a lack of women’s representation in the highest echelons of APL decision-making. With the 2023 ALW finals series fast approaching, and the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup (WWC) on home soil not far off the horizon, this must be rectified.

First and foremost, the initial revolutionary strides the APL took to equalise the women’s game must be acknowledged and commended.

By far the most revolutionary step was the unification of the A-League Men (ALM) (formerly A-League) and A-League Women (ALW) (formerly W-League) in late-September 2021 under a unified banner: the A-Leagues, following consultation from key stakeholders (fans, players and coaches), a move reportedly lauded by FIFA.

“Bringing the female game up onto a level playing field with the men was something we felt really strongly about … this is just another step in our commitment to the women’s game,” stated APL CEO Danny Townsend.

Following this rebranding, in December 2021 the APL acquired Liberty as the naming rights partner of the ALW, a reported multi-million-dollar sponsorship deal.

Six months later the APL announced the progressive expansion of the ALW (with the introduction of Western United in 2022-23 and Central Coast the following season) as well as lengthening ALW seasons (from 14 to 20 rounds) under a two-year women’s football strategy to fully professionalise the competition.

Meanwhile, in 2021 the APL created a dedicated production capability ‘APL Studios’ (in alignment with production partner Global Advance), and under the APL’s stewardship (with broadcast partner ViacomCBS), broadcast standards of the ALW improved markedly since Fox’s dismal broadcast of the women’s game. In addition, three new ALW commentators came through the APL’s talent development programme for the 2023-23 season.

This is a far cry from the days of consistent audio and visual errors on Fox, including the now-famous ‘Tuba Guy’ incident, and matches broadcast with a single low-quality camera.

Similarly, the APL’s stringent commitment to produce consistent ALW content through the APL’s digital platform KEEPUP (including ALW-dedicated news features on an equal basis with the men’s game) must be praised. This has coincided with the launch of Dub Zone, a dedicated-ALW interactive match-day program featuring live coverage of simultaneous matches with an expert panel.

KEEPUP also launched ALW Fantasy in November 2022, as well as a weekly dedicated-ALW podcast (‘The Official Liberty A-League Podcast’).

The APL’s desire to grow and promote the women’s game is clearly undisputed.

What remains unclear, however, is where the ALW now sits amongst the APL’s priorities, once push has come to shove.

Cortnee Vine of Sydney FC celebrates scoing a goal (Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)

The aforementioned landmark actions under the APL’s guardianship have been offset by a number of questionable choices in the past seven months which run entirely inverse to the positive steps taken.

Perhaps the most pertinent of these choices, reflecting a severe disregard for the reality of the ALW, is the APL’s financially-motivated decision to sell grand final hosting rights to Sydney for the next three A-Leagues seasons as part of an eight-figure agreement with Destination NSW, suggested to be between $12 – $20 million (per various reports).

The APL’s rationale for this decision (at least publicly) was to create a grand final tradition (like the NRL in Sydney, AFL in Melbourne or the FA Cup Final in Wembley) and offer fans a set location (allowing for long-term grand final planning).

For the ALM exclusively, this decision arguably has some merit (a discussion beyond the scope of this article).

The ALM may have a strong enough appeal to crack five-figures (specifically if a NSW-based club qualifies).

In respect to the ALW however, this decision is appalling. Yes, there are situations where the ALM and ALW should be treated as equals, such as the progressive actions listed earlier, but the grand final decision represents a thoughtless and inconsiderate decision which lacks contextual insight and is not grounded in reality.

The APL’s powerbrokers are loath to admit it, so this writer will do it for them:

The three upcoming ALW grand finals at the neutral (and cavernous) CommBank Stadium will surely amass meagre crowds by its standards. This is not only unfair on the hardworking players and clubs involved but could hamper the ALW’s growth and cause significant damage to the ALW’s maturing brand.

This is deeply concerning with the WWC on the horizon, whereby the ALW is likely to be in the spotlight.

The past six ALW grand finals (COVID-affected 2020 excluded), each hosted by the highest-ranked finalist, averaged a respectable 5,099 supporters.

But when compared with its ALM counterpart, the lamentable reality is the ALW is not at the same stage in its development. It is unashamedly still finding its feet, with lower crowds, TV/streaming ratings, and social media engagement than its ALM counterpart.

This is not to suggest the ALW will not blossom soon (this writer predicts it will), but as it stands the ALW grand final is not ‘noisy’ enough on the Australian sporting calendar to rely upon and command ample travelling fans and NSW-based neutrals.

Instead, the focus should be on ground-swelling local support (of the highest-ranked finalist).

Western United are arguable favourites to be the highest-ranked ALW grand finalist this season. Three thousand boisterous green and black supporters from the suburbs of West Melbourne cramped into City Vista Recreation Reserve is a far superior product for fans and broadcasters alike, particularly with the WWC just a few months away.

The grand final decision, regrettably, does not stand alone.

In September 2022, the APL renegotiated its broadcast deal with Network 10 (Viacom CBS), removing the ALW entirely from free-to-air (FTA) television (for the first time in years) and replacing its Sunday 10Bold slot with a second ALM match. For the 2022-23 season, all ALW matches were moved to Network 10’s streaming platform 10Play.

The rationale espoused by the APL was clever, establishing an early narrative that every ALW match would be widely available, that the move was designed to deliver more football to Australian homes via increased access.

“Making every single ALW game available live and free on 10Play means that every girl in Australia can turn on their device and have sporting role models at their fingertips. With nine months to go until the 2023 Women’s World Cup, we are maximising the opportunity to access the game at every level,” stated APL CEO Danny Townsend.

The truth lies somewhere in between: Yes, fans are moving to streaming services, but the renegotiation reflects poor viewership numbers rather than an opportunity to increase access before the WWC.

The ignored reality is, with Australia and New Zealand hosting the WWC in four months, the decision to remove ALW from FTA exposure was shocking, regardless of (presumed) pressure from Network 10 over viewership metrics.

Diehard ALW supporters know how to access it, but casual channel-flicking ALW fans will not actively search for the league on a streaming service. Access means very little if exposure (and hence, interest) does not complement it.

There are further hints the ALW now sits lower on the APL’s pecking order. The APL continues to schedule ALW summer matches during the middle of the day, ignoring vocal opposition from ALW coaches, staff and players (with some players even treated for heat stroke).

The much-anticipated Club Championship ladder (ALM and ALW standings combined) now seems an entirely ignored initiative after initial fanfare from the APL. Finally, some ALW matches no longer contain a half-time show. Is this hinting at a gradual regression to the Fox days?

Yet it is the renegotiated broadcast deal and grand final decision which most reflect harmful, short-minded decisions in which the women’s game have shouldered the brunt and are disproportionately impacted.

Decisions like these are not isolated to football.

The hypermasculinity of the global political economy, for example, drives financially motivated decisions by male-dominated corporate powerbrokers which has negative gendered impacts, specifically in poorer regions globally.

With this in consideration, the lack of women’s representation amongst the APL’s powerbrokers requires scrutiny.

As far as this writer understands, the APL board has six current sitting members, one of whom is a woman.

There are four club directors (Sydney FC’s Scott Barlow, Wanderers’ Paul Lederer, Melbourne City’s Simon Pearce, and Brisbane Roar’s Chris Fong), one independent director (Silver Lake representative Stephen Evans), and an FA appointee (Ebru Koksal, the sole woman).

There are plans to expand the APL board to nine members: an additional club director to replace Melbourne Victory’s Di Pietro (who stepped down following the grand final decision) and two further independent directors.

Meanwhile, of the thirteen club chairpersons, just one is a woman: Canberra United’s Kate Lundy. However, Canberra United are unable to vote in APL chairperson’s meetings because they are not shareholders, not having a financial stake in the APL (but can attend meetings and have a voice).

So, every voting member of APL chairperson meetings, who are representing both the men’s and women’s teams for their respective clubs, are men.

(Photo by Sarah Reed/Getty Images)

What this demonstrates is the desperate need for more women’s representation in the APL’s hierarchy, be it on the board or as a club chairperson. This is not to say the current male-dominated board or chairpersons are entirely ignorant of the women’s game (far from it), with A-Leagues clubs and the APL (as priorly discussed) having made immense investment into the ALW.

However, male-dominated powerbrokers could implicitly disregard or be inconsiderate of the ways in which critical and far-reaching decisions have significant gendered consequences (as the grand final decision and broadcast renegotiations attest to).

A male-dominated APL hierarchy is arguably likelier to prioritise financially driven profit motives above the women’s game.

Having more women in these positions could shine a spotlight on the potential ways women are short-changed by brash decisions and offer invaluable perspectives and critiques.

Football Australia (FA) represents an example of an organisation with strong women’s representation. FA’s board has ten members, four of whom are currently women, whilst FA’s congress consists of a dedicated Women’s Football Council, worth 10% of votes.

This has ultimately resulted in strong outcomes for the women’s game. A dedicated $42 million home of the Matildas is currently under-construction at Melbourne’s La Trobe University, whilst the FA vehemently fought the Saudi Arabia sponsorship deal for the WWC (potentially robbing FA of a handy paycheck).

Can we confidently say the APL would fight tooth and nail to oppose a multi-million-dollar Saudi Arabian sponsorship of the A-Leagues?

The APL have lofty ambitions, and as their initial actions suggest, are determined to level the ALW playing field on equal terms with the ALM. Unifying the leagues under one banner, expansion, and an ALW digital revolution are evidence of this.

Yet, in recent times decisions the APL have made seem detrimental to this vision. Not only did the APL ignore the adverse impacts of the grand final decision and renegotiated broadcast deal on the ALW, but there is a contextual disregard for properly cultivating the ALW after the APL laid the foundations in 2021.

The APL set up a fireplace, put in the twigs, the dry logs, the fire-starters, scrunched up newspaper, and set a spark, only to watch in confusion as the lonely flame flickered out once they started pouring cold water over it.

The ALM and ALW are on different stages of their respective journeys. Without stronger women’s representation in decision-making positions which gives the women’s game the priority it requires to thrive, the ALW will continue to play second-fiddle and shoulder the brunt of financially driven decisions.

With the WWC on the horizon, now is the APL’s best chance to correct the error of their ways.